


The Baby Crisis of Arcadia Oaks

by Okadiah



Series: Good Morning Arcadia Oaks! [1]
Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Babies, F/M, Pretty domestic, Slice of Life, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:48:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23485558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okadiah/pseuds/Okadiah
Summary: After Barbara and Walter are given the cradle stone of changeling familiars following the Eternal Night War, they struggle to figure out how to help the children. Thankfully they aren't alone. The entire community is there to help too.
Relationships: Barbara Lake/Walter Strickler | Stricklander
Series: Good Morning Arcadia Oaks! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689643
Comments: 6
Kudos: 91





	The Baby Crisis of Arcadia Oaks

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I wrote this a long time ago and only just got around to posting it. Back then 3Below hadn't come out yet, and so there are no Tarrons directly mentioned. This is kind of a fun exploration of how everyone handled the MANY familiars that were saved from the Darklands.
> 
> Also, I'm a huge fan of Stricklake and who better to spearhead the problem than those two? Enjoy!

Barbara stared at the cradle stone in her hands, the yellow facets reflecting _so many_ young faces back at her that for a moment it wasn’t relief at the children’s liberation from the Darklands that filled her, but a creeping dread. How many babies _were_ there?

And how was she supposed to take care of them all?

Barbara jumped when a stone-firm hand eased onto her shoulder and she frowned at Walter.

“What are we going to do?”

“About the familiars?” he asked, taking the cradle stone from her hands and gazing into the facets as she had, a frown pulling his lips. He sighed. “I’m not sure. But we need to figure something out soon. They can’t remain in the stone for much longer.”

“I wouldn’t want them to,” she agreed before pressing her fingers into her brow. “And with the town recovering from the battle, how are we supposed to take care of a thousand babies?”

“It’s closer to three hundred in actuality,” Walter said with a slight frown. “At least, according to the Janus Order’s last report. But that was some time ago, and … well, many Changelings were killed recently by Gunmar.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Barbara’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute, if the changelings die, you don’t mean to say the babies connected to them—”

His lips pressed thin as he sighed. Walter squeezed her shoulder gently.

“We’ll help the ones we can.”

Sadness swelled through her as she stared back at the little ones in the stone. The survivors.

“Yes, we will,” she said before running the numbers in her mind. Potentially three hundred familiars? There was no way the hospital’s maternity ward could accommodate even twenty children. And what about feeding them? Changing them? Monitoring them while they all underwent checkups, and that was nothing to say about finding homes for them. Or money to fund all of this.

She wanted to do this; she _would_ do this. But panic still crept higher in her heart. Barbara stared at the changeling beside her.

“Walt, I can’t do this on my own.”

The hand on her shoulder dropped to squeeze her hand as he held her gaze with large yellow and red silted troll ones. “You won’t have to.”

The panic in her chest shifted with tender warmth. His words had been nothing but sincere.

She believed him. And it really did help.

* * *

While Walt had left with a promise to return soon, Barbara spoke with Ophelia. She explained the situation and hoped the other woman might have some ideas on how to handle the situation and if anyone might have some, she believed it was Ophelia.

Barbara knew she was right when Ophelia smiled.

“Let me make some calls,” she said, her fingers already flying across the screen of her phone.

And Barbara watched as the councilwoman made calls to the mayor’s office — a lot of them — and after several pleasant conversations, three arguments, and one heated shouting match later with half the conversation dipping into Spanish, Ophelia faced her, eyes bright.

“Although there’s a lot of damage to the town, I got approval to use the high school. Do you think the gym will be big enough?”

“I hope so,” Barbara replied. “But we’ll need cribs. And food. And diapers, and enough people to watch them as we sort this mess out. That’s just to start.”

“I’ve already got volunteers coming in to help out, and they’re bringing old cribs and whatever they can spare. But with this many children?” Ophelia said, taking the cradle stone and turning it in her hands. “I don’t know if it’ll be enough. The resources won’t last long.”

Barbara was worried about that, but unfortunately it wasn’t the current problem. Over the last hour, several of the babies had begun crying within the stone, and the wails were getting louder. Spreading.

“We’ll worry about that later,” she said. “We need to get them out.”

The high school gymnasium was ablaze with light by the time they arrived. Everywhere Barbara looked there were people from the community rushing in and out, carrying old cribs and baby supplies. To her surprise, many of Jim’s classmates and friends were waiting inside where Toby stood in front of them with AAARRRGGHH!!! just behind them. Jim’s best friend marched to her and saluted.

“Warhammer and the Trollhunter Army, reporting for duty. We’re here to help with the babies.”

She looked from him to the small army of teenagers, all ready and eager despite the late night, with many of their parents just behind them. Off to the side, she was surprised to find NotEnrique and Coach Lawrence organizing the supplies while Lenora Janeth arranged the eclectic collection of cribs into neat and orderly rows.

“We’ve managed to collect roughly one hundred cribs,” Lenora informed her before her eyes widened. The teacher gasped at the cradle stone. “I’d heard but I hadn’t believed! They’re all in there?”

“Yes,” Barbara said. She frowned because on the short ride here more and more of the children had begun to wail. Maybe all of them by now. “But not for much longer.”

“But my dear, how are we supposed to get them out?”

“I know how to remove them from the stone.”

Lenora jumped as Walter strode in and every set of eyes stared, giving him attention he ignored completely. The room fell silent, all motion stopped, and when she turned to face him, she leaned close enough so her voice wouldn’t carry.

“Well, you certainly know how to quiet a room.”

He chuckled and smirked. “If I’d known I’d have received this much respect by revealing my true form, perhaps I’d have done it sooner.” He nodded to the cradle stone. “May I?”

She handed him the stone and after studying it he straightened, his pose authoritative. His voice carried throughout the gym. “Since we don’t know how many children there are, it’s possible that once the cribs assembled have been filled, the magic protecting them will deposit the rest in the arms of whoever is available. Be prepared.”

“We also need groups ready at the feeding and changing stations,” Barbara added, allowing her voice to carry as much as Walt’s had. “It’s about to get loud in here and we need to be ready.”

“Kids, come with me,” Coach Lawrence said. “I’ve seen all of you handle flour sacks and I’m not comfortable letting you handle real babies yet. You’re on food and poop detail. Let’s go.”

A mixture of groans and complaints arose from Warhammer’s ‘Trollhunter Army’, but they followed the Coach out into the hall. Soon those left looked at them, waiting.

Walt glanced at Barbara. “Are you ready?”

“To take care of hundreds of kids?” She gave a weak laugh but smiled all the same. “Not exactly, but let’s do this.”

And with that, Walt began a steady incantation in Trollish.

The stone glowed a bright yellow, causing the crowd gathered to gasp, and once the light reached its pinnacle of brightness, clusters of delicate blue lights shot out. It was startling, but no one had time to stare, not when the lights landed in quick succession within the cribs, reforming themselves into solid babies. In a matter of seconds the cribs were all filled, and Walter’s prediction came true.

The blue balls of light kept flying out to hover patiently in front of people. One appeared in front of her, waiting. Slowly she made a cradle of her arms for the light to settle in, and after a moment a baby girl with blond hair was crying in her arms. Old skills she hadn’t used since Jim was a baby dusted themselves off in an instant.

“Hey there, sweetie,” Barbara said, shifting the girl in her arms. “Welcome back.”

All around the room babies were caught, and as they were the gym got _loud_. Many of the children came out crying, but thankfully many of the volunteers seemed ready. A low buzz of soothing coos and baby talk filled the air as the children’s cries were rapidly diagnosed. Finally the stone in Walter’s hands dimmed and disintegrated, ever familiar freed.

And thus, the Baby Crisis of Arcadia Oaks began.

* * *

It was chaos those first few minutes, but she and Walt were able to organize it quickly. Babies who needed to be changed were changed. Hungry babies were fed. When the overall decibel level of the room had dropped considerably, they were finally able to do a headcount of all the little ones to determine how much more they needed to support them all.

The final count was two hundred and three babies when all was said and done. One hundred and thirteen of them still needed cribs and initial reports from the teenagers suggested that they were running through supplies faster than anticipated. Baby formula and food might last a few more hours, but diapers needed to be restocked immediately.

“Where are we going to get the funds to support over two hundred babies?” Barbara asked after passing her little girl to another volunteer where she continued to sleep soundly.

“I actually have a solution,” Walt told her. “Earlier I raided the Janus Order’s treasury – which was considerable – in preparation for this problem. I figure that since we’ve used their faces to amass wealth, it’s only fair it be given back to them. We should have no problems where money is concerned.”

“Walt,” Barbara said in disbelief, a heavy burden lifted from her shoulders.

But he was right. While they spearheaded the management and care of the babies, he’d given Lenora a card for the account. The teacher and a team of helpers went out and raided the nearest grocery stores for all the essentials they could think of, then found as many cribs as they could. Barbara called the hospital and asked for as many as the maternity ward could spare while she and five nurses available began giving the babies check-ups — which to their astonishment all passed with perfect health. By morning every one of the children had their own little place within the gym, arranged in neat lines, and the volunteers had gathered enough supplies to hopefully last the week.

As dawn curled around the horizon lists were made determining who was willing to volunteer as caretakers, both fulltime and part-time, what sort of things they were all willing to do, and their foreseeable availability. Unfortunately with the suddenness of both the Eternal Night War and the Baby Crisis, many of the volunteers were running on fumes as much as she was. There were a few fresher eyes who’d arrived, but with this many children it would be tough until a clearer rotation could develop.

Thankfully with the blinds lowered, the school’s gym was dark enough that trolls could stay, and both NotEnrique and AAARRRGGHH!!! readily volunteered.

“AAARRRGGHH!!! stay and protect babies,” AAARRRGGHH!!! said as Toby yawned against him, barely able to keep his eyes open.

“Yeah,” NotEnrique added. “They’ll be in good hands while everyone else catches a couple of zees.”

“There’s still not enough caregivers,” Barbara said as she rubbed her dry, tired eyes. “All it would take is one of them waking up and crying to wake the others. The problems will have to be handled quickly or they’ll get out of hand.”

A tug at her pant leg drew her attention downward and she blinked in surprise when Chompsky waved a tiny hand., A toothy grin spread across his face as he stood in front of a small army of red and blue hatted gnomes.

It turned out Chompsky and the multitude of gnomes that had stayed in Arcadia were the answer.

With their quick motions and distinctive appearance, a gnome or two was assigned to several children and instructed to wave down a volunteer if there appeared to be something wrong with the child. At first she and many of the other human volunteers had been wary of how the children would handle the gnomes, but it quickly became apparent that, if anything, the babies _adored_ them. Giggles and laughter were welcome after the crying. With that problem dealt with for the moment, she and Walt found the dark, windowless office which had been filled with cots the fulltime volunteers could use to snatch a few hours of sleep.

Within seconds of laying down on cots next to each other’s and weary not only from the children but the fight before, they slipped easily into oblivion.

* * *

The next problem to arise was also the question on everyone’s minds.

Who were these children, and could they be returned to their families?

“The Janus Order kept thorough records, with pictures and small portraits of the familiars as far back as the eighteen hundreds,” Walt explained when he led her to the abandoned changeling’s hideout the next night. “We should be able to figure out who is who, and if their families are still alive or not.”

Barbara stared at him curiously. “What do you mean if their families are still alive or not?”

“Well, a familiar needs to live as long as the changeling does. While they’re in the Darklands, they don’t age. It’s why they are all still infants.” He turned his head toward hers, his horns catching the light. “I have been a changeling for hundreds of years, Barbara. It’s likely my familiar’s family is not only dead but has become quite untraceable. I certainly didn’t keep up with them after I left them, and that was a _very_ long time ago.”

“That can’t be right,” Barbara said, struggling to grasp what he was saying. “You looked like you were in your forties.”

Walter chuckled and faced a computer, fingers and sharp black nails snapping across the keys. “I assure you, that is not the case.”

She arched a brow. “If I asked how old you really are, would you tell me?”

The troll smirked at her but said nothing, and she decided that she’d find a way to wiggle the number out of him one day.

With the information downloaded and a call to Detective Scott to enlist the PD for help, they made their way back to the high school where she was recruited to take a cluster of babies on a walk around the block. When she’d returned and tucked them into their cribs to sleep, she was surprised to find Walt waiting for her.

And he was _dressed_.

Over the last couple of days she’d gotten used to the fact that he would look like a troll forever, now that his familiar had been rescued and was currently _somewhere_ in the wriggling collection. They hadn’t talked about it — there hadn’t been much time _to_ talk about it, let alone anything else — but in his loincloth and mantled cloak was normal to her now. She guessed it was just easier for trolls to dress that way. They didn’t need clothing like a human did.

Only now he was dressed in familiar clothing, slacks and belt with a blue turtleneck sweater. The difference, however, was that his usual brown jacket was replaced with a modern looking brown cloak with no steel mantle. He looked a little strange dressed like that, with no shoes, green stone skin and horns, but he also, she thought, looked as pristine as a troll could be.

He'd always looked like her Walter, but there was no denying the effect his clothes had.

“You changed your look,” she said, openly admiring him before she grinned. “What? Not a fan of the loincloth anymore?”

“If I’m to stay in my troll form for the rest of time and also live in the human world, I figured it wasn’t in my best interest to continue wearing a loincloth,” Walter replied. “Besides, I’ve rather come to like clothing. I’ve worn them long enough, as it is.”

“Though I have to admit that opting out of the shoes was sensible.” She nodded to his shoulders where the knives had been. “And your mantle?”

“While I was holding one of the children yesterday, he managed to dislodge one within reach. I retrieved it before he could hurt himself, of course, but it was a lesson. If I’m to continue caring for the children, I should do it without accidentally arming them.”

“Responsible of you,” she said approvingly, and he perked up at the comment.

“I’m glad you approve,” he replied, puffing up slightly and making Barbara inwardly smile. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted some solid time alone with him to decompress after everything that had happened — everything that was still happening. But before she could reach for his hand, Detective Scott arrived and all she could do was sigh and smile before plunging back into the work.

Now that they had the Janus Order’s data, the next challenge became a game of who’s who? She, Walt, and several others each corralled roughly twenty children each and began sifting through a digital database to sort by sex, hair color, eye color, presumed racial ethnicity and a slew of other identifying marks which might help them. Some of the children were easier to identify than others, but the older the documentation, the harder it became. As horrible as it was sometimes, often they were left with little more than an educated guess to identify the child, but they did their best.

It was when Barbara moved to her final baby that she realized that while it had taken hours to do the others, she already had a name for this one.

She stared at the baby boy, all smiles and delight, and knew those beautiful green eyes, black tuft of hair, and charming little smile.

Transfixed she picked the baby up, settling him against her chest where he giggled and laughed and made her smile with his infectious enthusiasm. Small hands reached for her glasses and she caught the tiny fingers before they could do their worst.

“I bet I know who you are,” Barbara said. “And I know someone who’s probably looking forward to meeting you. Are you excited to meet him?”

The child burst into peals of laughter that echoed throughout the gymnasium, and the nearby gnomes cheered and hooted in response.

Even in the busy and crowded area, it was always so easy to spot Walter. It wasn’t only because he was the most distinctive figure in the room with green stone skin, horns, wings, and yellow and red eyes. He was also often the center of attention, the one — like she was — people went to for guidance.

To her surprise it wasn’t the case this time. He was off to the side of the room, apparently finished with his own sorting task, and was away from everyone else with his back to them. A phone was in one hand while a baby was in the other.

“What? Yes, Young Atlas, I need to speak with Nomura,” Walter said into the phone as he gently bounced a small Asian girl in his arm. From where she was, she could hear the faint sound of Jim’s voice before the former changeling sighed. “Just have her call me when she gets back. Please.”

“Everything okay?” she asked, and Walter sighed again as he turned to her.

“Here I am, trying to find out what Nomura would like to do with her familiar since the records indicate the little one has no family to return to, making Nomura the only ‘family’ she has, and—”

Walter froze when his eyes slid from her face to the small boy in her arms, and at the same time the baby stopped to stare at Walter. They studied each other, their eyes shifting and sliding as the moment thickened into something real.

Then the baby gave the biggest grin and reached out for the troll.

“How about a trade?” Barbara offered as she took Nomura’s little familiar and eased Walter his. The little girl accepted the exchange easily, but not as quietly as the little boy had. They stared at each other, Walter’s big troll eyes locked with charming green.

“Waltolomew,” Walter breathed as he raised a finger. “Do you know me?”

Laughter was his answer as the little boy clasped onto Walter’s finger as if he wouldn’t ever let it go. Walt watched in wonder and Barbara deftly wrapped an identification band around little Walt’s wrist, just as she did with little Nomura. Together they sat on the bleachers with a baby each, and in between playing peekaboo with little Nomura — who she was calling Nomi — and tickling her into squeals of excitement, she watched Walter.

She’d seen this man do many things, both terrible and heroic, but for the first time, he seemed to be at a loss as he held the baby like glass. Fingers glided over baby Walt’s hair as the boy climbed her Walter like a jungle gym, tugging at his new brown cape in a way that made him wince and made Barbara wonder if that new brown cape was actually his wings.

When one of the teenagers passed by, he asked if they could get him a pillow or a blanket, something soft for the baby, and soon his lap had been transformed into a soft nest and little Walt had dropped into sleep there. Walter’s hand rested against his back, rising and falling with each little breath the baby made. Barbara couldn’t help but think he looked more serene than she’d ever seen him.

Gently she nudged him with an elbow, careful since Nomi was sleeping against her chest too. With dawn coming, most of the children were falling asleep, as had been the case the last few days. She guessed they’d been kept on a nocturnal schedule like the trolls. As it was, many of the volunteers were quickly becoming day sleepers themselves.

He looked at her and she smiled at him.

“So, what will you do with him?” Barbara asked.

“There’s only one thing to do,” Walter said. “I’ve used this boy’s form for so many years, and he has no other family. Certainly none I would ever trust to give him a good life.” He looked at the boy who slept so soundly within the troll’s care. “I owe him a debt, and I owe him the best life he could possibly have. I intend on making that happen. I will care for him.”

“Well look at you,” Barbara said, both pleased and amused by little Walt’s importance. “I think you’ll make a wonderful father.”

“I’m not as sure as you,” Walter admitted. “After all, I’ve spent most of my life attempting to bring about the rise of a tyrant intent on killing and eating all of mankind as I acted as a spy and assassin for him.” A frown pulled at his lips. “I’m not sure at all that I will be a good parent. If anyone I would trust to raise him, it would be you. After all, you raised the Trollhunter.” He looked down at his familiar. “I imagine any child you raise would become magnificent.”

“Now _that_ I’m not so sure of,” Barbara said with a sad smile. “After all, I worked a lot. In some ways Jim raised himself.”

“You gave him everything he needed,” Walter countered. “You can’t argue that.”

Before she could try, his phone rang. While he answered, Toby took the opportunity to ask her if she’d like something to eat and inform her that the other teenagers had made sandwiches and snacks for the volunteers. While she made her way through a cucumber sandwich, Walter’s voice was a gentle buzz beside her. After several minutes he ended the call and gave her a look that suggested he was surprised by what he’d just heard.

“That was Nomura,” Walter told her.

“You told her about her familiar?” Barbara asked. “What did she say?”

“That she wants to see the child but won’t be able to make it back to Arcadia for some time yet. She wants us to take care of her until she can return.”

“Well,” Barbara said, “that shouldn’t be a problem—”

“I should be clearer, actually,” Walter said gently. “She wants _you_ to take care of her.”

Barbara’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh,” she said, looking at little Nomi as she slept. She’d been dealing with problems as they rose, becoming almost purely reactionary that while she’d known the next reasonable step would be to find the babies homes, she hadn’t thought about it concerning herself. Taking care of _all_ the babies had been her responsibility — hers and Walter’s.

And yet Nomura wanted Barbara _specifically_ to take care of her familiar until the female changeling could come back?

“Well,” Barbara said as she leaned against Walter’s shoulder. Not unlike any of the other times she’d done this, he was firm and unyielding. A moving, living stone statue. And yet, he somehow seemed just a bit soft to her. Warm and comforting.

“I guess we’re both parents now.” She smirked up at him. “You’re not going to leave me again this time, are you?”

Walter stared down at her, his brow furrowed and serious.

“Never.”

And Barbara believed him.

* * *

Over the next month, once the children had been identified to the best as could be managed, Arcadia Oaks PD managed to find the families of over one hundred and fifty of the children, families who’d had changelings as old as ninety-five and as young as three. The younger children were easier to make their ways home even if parents and family members appeared bewildered by their child’s often abrupt regression, but the families of the older familiars were tougher. Many of the children returned had to be posed as children or grandchildren of their Changeling, becoming juniors, as Waltolomew was now Walter’s ‘junior’.

The question of the fifty or so that remained was slower to solve. Many of those children were like little Wally and Nomi. Their changelings were much older, and any family who could have taken them were either unfindable or gone.

To Barbara’s surprise, and definitely to Walter’s, it was Dictatious who solved the problem.

She and Walter had been watching several of the little ones bumble around in a playpen together when the blind troll and Toby’s grandmother wandered in from outside. While the elderly woman had immediately gone to her grandson, waving a paper bag with a midnight meal for her growing boy, Dictatious eased his way close with the use of a walking stick he used both as an aid and cruel weapon on the unsuspecting.

“How you both deal with the noise in here is beyond me,” the blind troll said once he’d found them. “Back in the Darklands, the tiny flesh-bag were much better behaved.”

“You kept them drugged,” Walter replied blandly. Barbara glared though of course, Dictatious had no idea.

The four-armed troll placed one of his hands on his chest. “ _I_ did no such thing. That was the work of the blood goblins.”

“I’m not surprised,” Walter said. “I can hardly imagine you around so many human children and putting up with them.”

“That’s what you think,” Dictatious said, poking Walter with his stick hard enough to jolt him back. “I actually visited the Changeling nursery every few days. I had a favorite you know. He never made a fuss and always reached out for me when I came about. As far as flesh-bags go, that child was an angel.”

“Now I know you’re lying,” Walter said as he knocked the stick away when it came at him again. “I bet you didn’t even know the child’s name.”

“Don’t be preposterous! Of course I knew his name. You know as well as I do that every child had a label, and if anyone could read in the Darklands, it should come as no surprise that it was I.”

“Then _do_ tell,” Walter said with a roll of his eyes. “What was the child’s name?”

“Nicholas,” Dictatious said as he crossed his arms. “Nicholas Pyre. The sweetest tempered flesh-bag I’ve ever met. I do hope he survived the Darklands.”

Barbara frowned. “Wait, Nicholas Pyre? Do you remember what he looked like?”

Dictatious arched an eyebrow and grabbed his stone chin. “Let me think. Dark brown hair, brown skin, hazel eyes that were on the green side—”

By then Walter also caught on and he made a face.

“You _can’t_ mean the same Nickolas that’s been terrorizing all of the volunteers with his unending wails?” Walter glanced at Barbara. “He’s surlier than the rest of them!”

Dictatious’s blind eyes widened in surprise. An enthused smile crossed his lips. “You mean he’s here? My little Nicholas? I want to see him.”

“I suppose we’ll see, won’t we?” Barbara said before flagging down one of the teenagers and a few minutes later was brought the loudest baby in the group. They’d heard his endless wailing even from outside of the gym, and now that he was inside his young cries bounced off the walls and seemed that much louder.

“Nicholas?” Dictatious called hopefully, arms outspread. “Little Nicholas, is that you? It’s Dictatious! I _know_ you remember me.”

And to Barbara’s surprise and Walter’s clear bafflement, the baby took one look at the blind troll, and unlike crying louder and squirming away as any other child might have, the boy quieted. Pudgy little arms stretched toward the troll and the most adorable little gurgle bust out of him.

“Di-ta!” the child babbled. “Di-ta!”

“It _is_ you!” Dictatious crowed, arms blindly reaching for the baby. “There’s my favorite little flesh-bag! Have they been treating you well? You feel fed.”

The troll’s fingers grazed over the baby, and instead of crying like Nick would have for anyone else, he laughed and tried to catch a stone finger. Dictatious smiled adoringly. Walter’s jaw hung with disbelief.

“Now that _I’m_ here, there’s nothing to worry about,” Dictatious said, lifting the baby to cause another string of squeals to erupt out of him. “You’re coming home with me, aren’t you Nicholas? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Barbara staggered, jaw dropping like Walter’s. “You … you want to adopt him?”

“Yes, of course,” Dictatious said as he placed the baby against his chest where Nick started reaching for his short green hair. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Where do I begin?” Walter said, but the four-armed troll simply rolled blind eyes.

“I’m not an idiot,” he said. “Nicholas was one of the first Changeling familiars, which means it’s unlikely he has any family to return to. I stay with Nancy, Tobias, and AAARRRGGHH!!! so he has a place to stay.”

“But what about food?” Barbara asked. “And I’m not sure Toby’s grandmother would be up to the sort of commitment required for taking care of a baby.”

“Oh, I’d be more than happy to take in a little one!” Toby’s grandmother appeared before twittering fingers at the baby, making Nick giggle. “It’ll make me feel younger and give me something to do. And he’s so cute too!”

“And besides, I will be the one to raise the boy,” Dictatious said.

Barbara glanced at Walter, and although she saw the same hesitation in his eyes, he also appeared at a loss for words. She looked at Toby’s grandmother.

“Well … if you’re sure.”

“Absolutely,” Nancy replied. “We’d best get back and start setting up a room for the baby. Toby-pie!”

As she called for Toby, Dictatious’s attention was focused entirely on the baby as he used one arm to tap his way forward while two others played with the child.

“Look at me,” Dictatious said as he walked away. “A little flesh-bag of my own! Oh, the things I will teach you, young Nicholas! You will be the greatest flesh-bag of them all.”

And with Dictatious’s unexpected adoption, it triggered many others to do the same. After weeks spent taking care of the children, many had become attached to one or two just as she and Walter were attached to Nomi and Wally. It wasn’t long before parents and families were approaching them with the hopes of taking a child or two in. With the help of the PD and the mayor’s office, they were able to procure identification paperwork for each child. In no time the ones who remained had been absorbed into the families of Arcadia Oaks.

With only seven babies left and each spoken for, the end of the Baby Crisis was finally in sight. Tomorrow the five that were left would go home with families, leaving only Nomi and Wally.

And time enough to ask questions.

Amidst the month-long ordeal, neither she nor Walter had really gone anywhere that wasn’t the impromptu nursery, the hospital, or around the school’s block to give the children some air — her in the day and him at night. The entire time they’d slept in the usurped office meant for the fulltime volunteers’ use, but as the number of children diminished, the pressure on them as emergency response caregivers had also dropped. Allowed for more time to think, and for other questions to arise.

She and Walter were outside on a midnight walk with Wally and another little boy named Faruk who would be leaving with a family tomorrow when she nudged the former changeling’s shoulder with her own. It was time they finally talked.

“I haven’t heard you say anything about where you’ll stay or what you’ll do after we’re done here.”

“That’s probably because I haven’t thought of anything yet,” Walter replied with a pained grin. “It’s been a challenge simply staying above the work here. I was going to figure it out when the time came.”

“Neither of us will be needed after tomorrow, at least, not past Nomi and Wally,” Barbara said as she pushed Wally’s stroller around the corner. “You’ll need somewhere soon.”

“I know,” he sighed. “Perhaps a hotel for the interim since the house I’d been living in was destroyed in the battle. That should suffice until I can find something more suitable. There’s not much left from the Janus Order treasury, but there’s enough for a little while, I think. Then there’s the matter of the sun. I’ll have to figure out how to properly take care of Wally while avoiding the sun.”

Barbara’s heart beat a little quicker in her chest, but she kept her words as smooth and nonchalant as she could make them.

“Well, I happen to have a spare room,” Barbara said, keeping her eyes resolutely forward. “And I think it would be easier if there were two of us to watch over the kids. I mean, I’ll have Nomi, but Jim’s room is more than big enough to hold Wally too. I mean, it wouldn’t be _impossible_ to figure out, but I’d need your help with the groceries, and you know I’m not the world’s best cook—”

She was babbling now, and her pace had quickened but she paused when a warm stone hand slid around her arm, urging her to a stop. After a steadying breath, Barbara bit her lip before timidly looking up at Walter. Shock was in his eyes. Disbelief.

But there was hope there too.

“Barbara.”

The silence of the evening swept around them, and she pressed her hand to her mouth to compose herself before dropping it and saying what she meant to say.

“Stay with me,” Barbara said, her voice soft as she took his hand. “I want you to stay with me, Walt. If you want to. There’s room for both you and Wally, not to mention my home is connected to the tunnels and … I just want you there.”

“You’re serious,” Walter said, his voice almost a whisper.

“Well, that’s kind of why I’m asking. Offering,” she replied with a nervous smile. “But really, Walter. Only if you want to.”

The winged troll laughed then, the disbelief on his face melting away into amazed relief, and the next instant she was swept up into his arms and swung around. A kiss that was both welcome and strange pressed against her cheek before he placed her back down again and stepped away as if embarrassed.

“Um, apologies,” Walter said, abashed as he took a breath to steady himself. “I would be delighted to accept your offer. But please, don’t do this if it’s only to help me. I _can_ figure this out.”

Barbara chuckled and shook her head at him before weaving an arm through his and leaning against his shoulder. Gently she urged her stroller forward which also caused him to do the same. “I _want_ you to stay with me, Walt. Yes, it’s easier for both of us, but, well …”

Her heart warmed as she thought of all the times he’d saved her, protected her, chosen _her_ and come back. Yes, it wasn’t perfect. He _had_ tried to kill Jim and he’d bound them together to manipulate her son. But actions spoke louder than words and his actions recently … well.

“Well?” Walter prompted quietly, and Barbara pressed her brow against his shoulder, savoring the texture of it there. Savoring him as her heart felt ready to burst with the warmth she felt for him.

“Well.” She said the word with a finality that sat in the air like a promise. “Just well.”

The troll was silent for a moment before his voice softened. “Well then. It seems like Wally and I _do_ have a place to go.”

“Though you’re going to have to cook. I wasn’t joking about that in the slightest” she said with a quick grin. “Now that Jim’s not around to fix my mistakes, I might accidentally poison you.”

To her amusement, Walter preened. “A troll has outstanding constitution. But I would be happy to take over the cooking duties, and any others. I doubt I’ll find a job any time soon. Not looking like … this.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the way you look or what you are,” Barbara said. “Sure, you’re stone-skinned now, and you have wings and horns, but you’re still Walter. And you’re still the same to me. I’m sure something will turn up if that’s what you’re looking for. I mean, AAARRRGGHH!!! has a job now with the demolition crew. I’m sure you can find something too.”

“You, my dear Barbara,” Walter said as if in awe, “never cease to amaze me.”

The next day while Walter stayed at the school and looked after the babies, Barbara got to work. With the help of Javier, Ophelia, Toby, and NotEnrique, they turned Jim’s room into a nursery for Wally and Nomi and cleared out the study to make room for a bed and desk for Walter. It saddened her to box Jim’s things and place them in the garage, but given that no one knew how long he, Claire and the others might be gone and she needing space for the babies, this was the simplest solution. It had even been Jim’s idea that they change his room into the nursery.

But by the time dusk settled, everything was ready and she both eagerly and nervously led the way to her home — _their_ home. Thankfully by then they’d gotten all of the children on a more normal sleeping schedule and it was easy enough to put them to bed without any fuss.

Soon it was just the two of them. Him and her, alone with no responsibilities to take care of or distract them.

“I guess I should show you your room now,” Barbara said as they left the nursery. “There’s not much in it, but I’m sure you can fill it up. Decorate it how you like. It used to be a study, and there’s still a bookcase in there with some of my old medical texts and old novels. Things like that. Just let me know if you want them out too, and I’ll be happy to move them.”

“Barbara,” Walter said, catching her hand though he quickly let it go once he did, something she’d noticed he’d been doing more and more. Regardless, his eyes were honest when he said, “It’s perfect. More than enough, I assure you.” He grinned. “We’ve been sleeping on a cot for a month now, and as a troll, it truly isn’t uncommon for our kind to simply sleep on the floor.”

“I’d never make you sleep on the floor,” she said with a tired smile. “At least, not unless you were being an idiot again.”

“Let’s pray that I don’t reach such levels,” Walter replied warmly. His eyes softened as she gave in to the yawn she’d been struggling so hard to hold back. “It’s been a long day, particularly for you. Rest, Barbara. I’ll keep the baby monitor and take care of the children while you sleep. You need it.”

“You have no idea how much I envy your troll endurance,” Barbara said with a smirk. “But all right. Make yourself at home, Walter, and let me know if you need anything. After all, it _is_ your home. And Wally’s.” Although he stilled slightly, she reached for his stone-skinned hand and curled her smaller one around it, squeezing it.

“Remember. I want you here.”

The tender look he gave her as he slowly squeezed her hand back assured her.

“I know.”

The moment between them grew quiet and warm and though she wanted to begin reclaiming whatever it was between them they’d had before Gunmar, she contented herself with a gentle kiss to his cheek before stepping away and heading to her room.

“Goodnight,” Walter said almost breathlessly. Barbara smiled at him before closing her door.

“Goodnight.”

For the first time since this mess with trolls and magic and babies all began, Barbara Lake’s world finally felt calm. And she knew she couldn’t have done it without Walter.


End file.
